In the implementation of these regulations, the following terms shall have the meaning set forth below , unless the context indicates otherwise

• - The Kingdom: The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

• - Scope of work: the marine areas of the kingdom, defined under the statute of marine areas of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, and the beach boundary (1).

• - Marine areas in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia: -

  • A. Kingdom's Inland Waters: waters on the landward side of the baseline.

  • B. Territorial Sea: The territorial sea of the Kingdom extends to 12 nautical miles towards the sea, measured from baselines

  • C. Contiguous Zone : The contiguous zone extends twelve nautical miles from the outer boundary of the territorial sea of the Kingdom.

  • D. The Kingdom's Exclusive Economic Zone: It is located directly behind its territorial sea and adjacent to it, and extends to the maritime borders with the neighboring countries facing the Kingdom..

  • E. The continental shelf: The continental shelf of the Kingdom includes the bottom of the land of the submerged spaces and its interior, which extends beyond its territorial sea throughout the natural extension of the Kingdom's territorial territory. (According to the marine areas statute).

• - Border Guard: The General Directorate of Border Guard and Border Guard commands in the regions, sectors, compounds and border centers affiliated to it, and it is the authority concerned with implementing the requirements of maritime security and safety

• . - Administration: the concerned maritime administration in Transport General Authority .

• - Maritime Activities: fishing, picnic, recreation, diving, sports, tourism, transportation, investment, antiquities exploration, marine surveying and scientific research which are carried out on beaches or on islands or in the marine areas of the Kingdom.

• - Vessels/Marine Crafts : All means of transportation and floating units that are used to carry out maritime activities and are not subject to the ship registration system in the Kingdom.

• - Fishing Boat: marine boats that are used for the purpose of fishing marine life, which are authorized to be caught, and these boats which are not subject to the ship registration system.

• - The Recreation Boats : boats are used for carrying out trips, either private, rentedor commercial and are not subject to the ship registration system.

• - Marine Sports Boats : boats that are used for the purpose of practicing marine sports such as diving, either private, rented or commercial.

• - Boat Captain/Skipper: a person responsible for operating, driving, and safety of the boat and who holdsa boat driving license.

• A marine craft work permit: a document issued by Transport General Authority for marine craft/ vessels; stating that the vessel is seaworthy according to the conditions set forth in that document.

• - Title deed: A document issued by Transport General Authority confirming the ownership of the marine craft/ vessel.

• - The owner: the owner of the marine craft.

• - A license to practice Fishing: a document issued by the Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture for those who are engaged in/ practicing the profession of fishing marine life.

• - Ship/ Vessel: Every floating vessel at sea used in accordance with internationally applicable regulations and is subject to the ship registration system.

• - Organization: The International Maritime Organization.

• - Diving license: a document issued by or approved by the General Sports Authority to practice diving according to the conditions established for that purpose (1).

• Permission for Sloping(Launching) or dry-docking ofa marine craft/vessel: a document issued by Border Guard for the purpose of launching or dry-docking marine craft from or to the sea according to a specific conditions.

• - Sailing permit: A document issued by Border Guard under which a marine craft/vessel is permitted to sail.

• - Knot: a unit to measure a ship's speed at sea and is equivalent to a nautical mile per hour.

• - Nautical mile: A unit of measure distance at sea, is defined as exactly 1852 meters - Foot: A unit of length, defined as 0.3048 meters exactly.

First: Border Guard is in charge of the following:

• A. Determining and identifying the places permitted for marine boat/vesselslaunching and dry-docking to and from the sea .

• B. Determining and identifying the navigational/shipping lanes for marine boats/vessels, their speeds, departure and return times, and the duration of sailing.

• C. Determining and identifying the places for practicing all maritime activities in cooperation with the competent authorities.

• D. Coordinating with the competent authorities to determine the sites for special needs persons engaged in leisure pursuits on the water or engaged in water based activities.

• E. Determining the number of marine vessels in each berth.

Second: Border Guard shall supervise all security aspects and ensuring implementing all maritime safety instructions and spread awareness of the foresaid. Border Guard shall search and inspect boats when they sail, return, or while they are at sea.

Third: Border Guard, in cooperation with the Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture, shall supervise fishermen, equipment and methods used for fishing, and watching the implementation of the regulations and instructions issued by the Ministry of Interior and the Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture in this regard.

Fourth: Border Guard shall be responsible for issuing or approving licenses for driving boats for carrying out maritime activities if necessary, and for issuing permits for launching or dry-dockingboats, and sailing permits as well.

Fifth: The Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture shall issue fishing licenses and determine the number of fishing boats owned by each fisherman or businessman/enterprise creator(1).

Sixth: The Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture shall undertake the establishment of berths and marine berths for fishermen and locating and identifying fishing areas at sea in coordination with Border Guard.

Seventh: Transport General Authority shall be responsible for granting a work permit for the maritime agency and title deeds after inspecting the boat and ensuring that it meets all technical and safety requirements in accordance with the governing regulations.

Eighth: The Ministry of Sports shall undertakes issuing licenses to establish centers and clubs for marine sports and diving, and the Saudi Water Sports & Diving Federation undertakes the issuance and approval of national and international diving licenses, and the issuance of diving permits, organizing competitions and marine sporting events according to implemented regulations and instructions.

Ninth: Transport General Authority and the General Ports Authority shall undertake the establishment of marine berths for cruises/recreational marine crafts and sports marine crafts and other related services.

Tenth: Border Guard shall be in charge of coordinating search and rescue and managing of maritime disasters in the waters of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in accordance with what was stipulated in the Search and Rescue Agreement in 1979 AD, and the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea of 1974 AD (SOLAS) with regard to the coordination of search and rescue and the protocols supplementing it (2), as well Jeddah Code of Conduct 2017ammendment through Jeddah Search and Rescue Coordination Center (JMRCC) and Dammam Search and Rescue Coordination Center (DMRCC) and Jeddah Maritime Information Exchange Center (JMISC).

Eleventh : The activities of marine surveying, marine scientific research, tourism and investment, or any other maritime activities, shall be carried out in accordance with the regulations, instructions and permits issued by the authorities concerned with these activities, taking into account the conditions and requirements of maritime security and safety stipulated by Border Guard.

A. Residents shall not be entitled to possess a fishing boat, but they permitted to work on board, whether the owner of the fish boat is an individual(citizen), company, institution or a governmental entity, and the owner of the marine craft is obligated to submit the approval issued by the relevant authority at the Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture that proves his ownership the fishing boat before issuing the title deed.

B. Residents shall be entitled to possess private yacht for carrying out personal boat trips after obtaining approval from the competent authority, in accordance with the regulations and the instructions issued by the Ministry of Interior and Transport General Authority, and the private yacht shall not be used for the purpose of renting out .

C. Excluded from the above mentioned provisions as stipulated in paragraphs (A and B) are the residents who are eligible to ownership, in the same way as citizens ; in accordance with the implemented regulations.

The offices and branches of Transport General Authority shall register marine craft in special records, and each is given a serial number according to the priority of registration.

A. The administration shall issue a bond proving the ownership of the marine craft/vessel, clarifying the marine craft registration number, and the owner of the marine craft is obligated to write down the name of the marine craft and the port of its registration in a clear handwriting in Arabic and English languages on both sides of the front part of the marine craft , taking into account that the writing color is different from the marine craft color, in addition recording the serial number as per instruction. B. The name of the marine craft shall not be repeated in the same administrative region.

C. The length of the marine craft shall be measured by the length of the distance between the bow and the stern (front of the boat and the rear of the boat), measured on the center line of the marine craft, and the equation below shows the number of passengers per vessel(persons capacity): number of persons = 66% x the length of the marine craft (m) x its maximum width (m).

D. The specifications and standards of marine craft or any other maritime equipment are subject to the standards applied in the Kingdom, taking into account the size and type of the marine craft/vessel, the nature of its activity, the security requirements and conditions for maritime safety and security set by Border Guard. 

The title deed shall not be issued except after the owner provision of a proof of his purchase to the marine craft/vesseland to show evidence of payment of customs duties; if it is subject to those fees, and post technical inspection to determine the specifications of the marine craft.